


Macaws

by iloveitblue



Series: Prompts [82]
Category: The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: M/M, Macaw!Phil
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-08-18
Updated: 2015-02-02
Packaged: 2018-02-13 17:41:53
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 2,378
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2159397
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/iloveitblue/pseuds/iloveitblue
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The one where Phil gets turned into a Macaw</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

The thing about being the vanilla member of a group of superheroes is that you’re practically the target of every super villain out there. They think your presence in the battle will weaken the team and targeting you will distract the team.

For the most part, its true. 

Flattering as it may be, the Avengers’ concern for him is getting out of control. Just because Doom was targeting the unmarked van Phil was driving, did not mean that every Avenger should attack the villain  _at the same time -_ they had a plan for a reason after all. 

And now, long after the battle was done, Phil sits in medical in front of a SHIELD trained vet, sporting his new colorful feathers. The Avengers gathered around him, in various degrees of worry.

Don’t get him wrong, Phil was thankful - surprised but thankful - of their worry for him, but he’s not used to all the attention and its making him twitch. 

or rather, his feathers. Phil shook himself until he got his feathers in control again. He looked up at the doctor and squawked before he found his voice. “Clear! Clear!”

Good news, he can still talk in a way that people would understand him, Bad news, it came as squawks and single words. 

The vet smiled down at him and nodded. “Yes, Agent Coulson. You’re cleared. You seem healthy enough by Macaw standards though I’m not sure how you plan to continue-“ 

Phil didn’t let her finish her sentence and flew off. Landing on Clint’s head without another sound. “Barton!”

The doctor cocked her head. “Okay, then. I guess I’ll fill the necessary report for Agent Barton to take you.”

—-

It was honestly hilarious. 

At first, Phil was worried that when the news that he was turned into a bird spread HQ, there would be a lot of teasing and cooing. Instead though, as Barton walked through the halls with Phil on his shoulder, the junior agents seemed more scared of him than usual. 

Phil let it slide, he didn’t have the energy to question strange junior behaviors. Instead he busied himself thinking about what the rest of the Avengers were doing to reverse his situation. Despite his insistence, the team still wanted to help, and by that, Stark meant that SHIELD research division was a bunch of slow moving snails in a salt maze. So they all decided to look for a way to help Phil turn back to normal while Clint accompanied the  ~~man~~  bird.

It wasn’t a problem for Clint since it meant more alone time with his favorite agent. Clint’s from the circus, so he had history handling animals before, and Macaws were probably the sweetest creatures Clint’s ever encountered. 

The archer settled on the couch after placing Phil on his desk. He watched as the bird turned his PC on, worked on a few sitreps on his desk and even dialing Fury’s office. Clint smiled at every movement the bird made. It was both adorable and amazing. 

—-

It took them 10 days to get Phil back to normal. or at least to find a way to turn him back. 

They all gathered around Phil as the archer reached up to his shoulder to ask Phil to step over. Phil was placed on the cot and Clint smiled at the small animal. He reached slowly for Phil’s head, and when he didn’t try to bite Clint, the archer pet him softly and if a little fondly. Phil’s feathers ruffled at the contact and kept following the hand every time Clint tried to pull away. 

Clint chuckled softly. “C’mon boss. Time for you to go back to work.” Clint ushered the bird to the top of the cot just below the pillows and instructed the bird to lie down while he pulled up the sheets to cover the bird except for the head.

Bruce stepped forward and pointed the gun that Tony designed based on the gun Doom used on Phil and the next thing they knew, they were gathered around a sleeping naked Phil under the sheets.

They all sighed in relief and Steve pat Bruce’s shoulder. Natasha stood next to Clint and bumped shoulders with him. Clint’s grin turned into a soft, sincere smile dedicated to Phil.

"He likes you, you know." Natasha told him.

"Yeah. I know." Clint nodded once.

"No, You really don’t. He likes you the same way you like him." Natasha watched as Clint swallowed a lump in his throat and the way his eyes couldn’t focus on just one thing. "You should tell him."

Clint paused, and remembered the way Phil the Macaw’s openly showed his affections to Clint but remained the professional badass agent to the others, and smiled. He turned to Natasha and nodded at her. “Maybe.”


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For WitchWarren :)

Phil was back to normal.

But not really.

Clint had watched the man long enough to know that there was something wrong. It wasn’t anything serious, he thought, since Coulson was still Coulson. Just added with a few more quirks. It wasn’t a problem. Really, it wasn’t. It was more endearing, than threatening actually.

After the macaw thing and Phil was back to normal, he started eating more bread or something that had bread in it. That in itself wasn’t really something to worry about since, hey, Phil’s eating… Yay! Except, call him crazy, but that was what Clint fed him for 10 straight days or you know, breadcrumbs. You’d think he’d get sick of it… But no, apparently, Bread is Phil’s new Go, Grow, and Glow.

Then there was the way Phil was usually so straight faced and barely showed his real emotion. He’d what you would call ‘someone who perfectly controlled his emotions’. Hell, the most Clint’s seen of the man was a dry remark, a smirk, and a quirked eyebrow. Now though, Everytime Phil felt curious or wondering or anything close, he’d tilt his head to the side at a 45 degree angle and frown. Then, he’d catch himself and go back to the stoic man he trained himself to be.

Tony had grinned from ear to ear when he saw it for the first time. As for Clint, well, he was more mature than that. He excused himself and laughed his heart out before coming back to the agent’s side. Phil hit him in the back of his head for his troubles.

There was also the way that Phil always sought out Clint. Don’t get him wrong. Phil had always done that - usually he came bearing a new mission. But not quite as often as he did now - and not at random times either. Sometimes, Clint would catch Phil in the doorway of someplace Clint was, frown (possibly wondering why he was there in the first place) and then leave. He’d only stay and talk to Clint when he actually needed something.

See? Harmless. Adorable but harmless.

—-

"What do you mean there’s something wrong with the gun?" Phil asked. Steve, Bruce, and Tony had sat him down in the living room of the tower.   
Tony looked all sorts of uncomfortable. He turned to Bruce who was just fiddling with his thumbs, then at Steve with a pained look. Steve gave him his best ‘If you don’t tell him, I will’ look. Tony huffed.

"The gun changed you back as we expected." Tony explained.

"But?"

"But there were some behaviors we couldn’t reverse." Bruce said.

"So basically, you’re still you… but you’re still bird Phil too."

"Pardon?" Phil tilted his head and frowned.

"Yeah. like that." Tony nodded. "It isn’t a big deal though."

"Basically, this is us telling you that your emotions are a little closer to the surface than it was before the whole macaw ordeal." Bruce continued.

"You’re more honest with what you’re feeling." Steve said. The other two nodded.

"You can school them all back. they’re just mannerisms. You’ll be fine. We just thought we’d let you know." Bruce told him.

"Well, technically it was just Steve. Bruce and I thought you were doing fine." Tony interjected.

Phil sighed. “All things considered, I guess it could be worse, right? I mean, I’m still me. And you said I can school it back to my old self?” Bruce nodded. “I guess there’s no harm done?” Phil stood up and patted down his suit. “If that’s all, I need to find Agent Barton.” Phil nodded at the three of them and left.

The two scientists looked at each other then at Steve.

"Well, he took that pretty well." Tony broke the silence.

"You think it’s the-"

"Oh yeah. Definitely." Tony told Steve. "Old Phil would have buried me in paperwork by now."

—-

They were in Phil’s office when it happened.

Clint was lounging on the couch and Phil was typing away. Long story, short: Phil made a snippy comment about Stark’s report on the last Avengers mission and Clint had told him a story about Steve bitching about the same thing. Phil told him about how it would be better if someone just proofread Stark’s report before he submitted them. Clint volunteered and Phil complained that he was just as worse. Clint laughed.

Phil smiled at him fondly. Before he could stop them, the words had slipped out of his mouth. “God, I love you.”

Clint’s laugh was cut short and Phil stared at him, horrified at the words. “What?”

"I’m- I- I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to say that." _You can school it_ , they said.  _It’s fine_ , they said. “Please forget I said anything.”

"You- You love me?" Clint asked, his lip did this small quirk that made Phil think that this - this whole unrequited thing - wasn’t as hopeless as he’d once thought.

"I do." Phil gave him a small nod.

Clint huffed out a laugh and then he was grinning. He stood up and stood in front of Phil’s desk. “Well, I’ll be damned. I thought I was the only one.” Clint pulled him by his tie and kissed Phil.

It was perfect

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [Here on tumblr](http://promptmephlint.tumblr.com/post/98564671861/boy-i-missed-your-kisses-all-the-time-but-this-is)


	3. Chapter 3

They’d haven’t really talked about it but Clint could see how much Phil wanted it. And he really couldn’t say he was opposed to the idea either.

The post-macaw Phil was more open with his emotions. Not that Clint didn’t like the stoic Phil, but this made things easier to tell what Phil was thinking (Not that he didn’t already catalog what every twitch in Phil’s face meant either). 

The point is, Phil wanted children.

Clint could see it with the way his eyes sparkled every time a child cooed at them while they walked down the street, and how Phil’s smile would brighten just a little bit more whenever the Avengers had to do an appearance for schools and the like, and how Phil’s heart would break every time they were at the hospital.

Phil loved children. 

And Clint loved Phil - it’s just an added bonus that he adores children as well.

Their floor on the Avengers tower was big enough, and if Stark said no, then Clint and Phil would have to find someplace else. No big deal. Clint had had money saved up. Granted, its not Tony Stark level of wealth, but Clint could find a nice roomy place built for a starting family, no problem.

So all Clint had to do was to ask Phil to adopt with him. Although it would be nice to have a kid of their own, and surrogacy was always an option, Clint wanted to help the orphans as much as he could since he knows how that life is.

He stalls. He doesn’t really know why, but he does. He finds every excuse in the book and uses it. We just finished an op, He looks like he’s busy, I’m busy, the timing isn’t right,  _the sun is too bright_. 

Natasha shakes her head at most of it. She smacks him upside the head for the last one. 

When he does find the right moment. It’s ironically all situations combined. 

They just finished saving the city from giant flying lizards - and seriously, who comes up with these? - and Clint was helping civilians toward the Medics on standby when he noticed it. Phil was carrying a bundle in the crook of his arms and headed straight for him. 

"I found her crying in the rubble." Phil told him but he wasn’t really looking at Clint. He was staring at the baby girl in his arms. "We need to find her parents."

Clint nodded and went to work, coordinating with the team and the Medics and anyone who could help and within an hour, the baby girl’s parents were found.

Phil grinned as he waved goodbye to the little girl. She opened and closed her pudgy little hands before the mother thanked them for the 25th time and went off.

"Let’s adopt." Clint said as soon as the parents were gone.

"What?" Phil turned to him, face full of surprised and delighted wonder. 

"Let’s adopt. A kid, I mean. We could live in the tower. If Stark says no, then we can find a place of our own. It wouldn’t be a problem. I have money saved, and we could still live comfortably even though it’s not that luxurious. I can-"

Clint was cut off when Phil grabbed his face and pulled him in for a long lingering kiss. 

"Yes. Yes to all of it. I’d love to adopt a kid with you."

They’d figure out the details later, but for now, they knew they were on the same page. 

—-

Jason Barton-Coulson was a happy addition to the team. Stark didn’t even ask them to move out when they came with the news. Just shrugged and said that the kid couldn’t go to the labs under any condition, no exceptions - but that was already a given.

Jason was 4, had big brown eyes and black-brown hair like Phil. His cheeks were so pudgy it’d be impossible to resist pinching it when you came at least 10 feet of the kid. (Clint gave it one year and he’d duck and cover every time somebody tried to reach for his cheeks)

Clint and Phil had never been happier with how their lives turned out than the day they finally got to take Jason home.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [Here on tumblr](http://promptmephlint.tumblr.com/post/109889374626/welp-i-was-right-i-crammed-today-and-i-have-to)

**Author's Note:**

> [Here on tumblr](http://promptmephlint.tumblr.com/post/95113762696/i-drew-a-thing-i-still-cant-color-tho)
> 
> As usual, if you want me to continue this fic, you can message me [here](http://promptmephlint.tumblr.com/ask) so I can add it to my queue.


End file.
